![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2020\/07\/8f289190-gp1su4q5_medium_res-1024x683.jpg\")
…which would be amazing if it were possible! No more sleepless nights worrying about our survival on this planet. No more anxiety about the idea of having to move your family to Mars. Plus, personally, I\u2019d stop losing friends by saying, \u201cwe can\u2019t keep consuming as if there\u2019s endless resources.\u201d Let\u2019s take a step back.<\/p>\n\n What is the Circular Economy?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n A circular economy is an economic system aimed at minimising waste and making the most of resources. In a circular system, resources<\/a>, waste<\/a>, emissions<\/a>, and energy leakage are lowered by reducing consumption and production. It\u2019s about long-lasting design<\/a>, maintenance<\/a>, repair, reuse<\/a>, remanufacturing<\/a>, refurbishing<\/a>, and eventually, recycling<\/a>. This approach is in contrast to what we have now, which is a ‘take, make, dispose’ model of production. So far so good!<\/p>\n\n Yet, like anything, corporations only pick out the parts which suit them. That is, by focusing on closing the circle, with an emphasis on recycling.<\/strong> It is more profitable for them to tell us that technology will fix it all, so we can continue business as usual, rather than tackling the root cause of the problem: consumerism and overconsumption. <\/p>\n\n You may say, \u201cWell, something is better than nothing.\u201d Recycling is far from 100% efficient<\/a> and many resources, like energy, simply can\u2019t be recycled. Relying solely on recycling can create an efficiency paradox; leading us to an increase in product demand, and thus, making more stuff and extracting more resources to make that stuff. In other words, recycling alone is a grand distraction from the real solution: preventing pollution at the source. <\/p>\n\n Even if all resources and materials were recycled and the recycling process was 100% efficient, the amount of used resources and material that can be recycled will always be smaller than the stuff needed for growth. To make up the difference we end up having to drill, burn and bulldoze our way through nature. <\/p>\n\n Where to start, then? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n Let’s start by adding \u201cslow\u201d to the term \u201ccircular economy\u201d, <\/strong>because language matters. <\/p>\n\n For our economy to be restorative and generative, not just cycling more and more resources around faster and faster, we need to both: slow<\/em><\/strong> the flow and <\/strong>close<\/em><\/strong> the loop <\/strong>by reducing production and consumption. This means reversing the waste hierarchy and putting<\/strong> \u201crefuse\u201d <\/strong>(as in, \u201cdon\u2019t want it\u201d) and \u201creduce\u201d at the top of the list. <\/strong>This allows us to tackle consumerism, overconsumption and overproduction head-on while questioning the notion of growth altogether. <\/p>\n\n Yes.. this means consuming less and…<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \u2026 rolling-out mindful and ecological designs<\/strong> that enable sustainable ecosystems for all of us.<\/p>\n\n It should look like this:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n \u2026 emphasize genuine<\/em><\/strong> sustainability<\/strong> to prevent and reduce environmental impact across the entire life-cycle of products to protect our planet, and: <\/p>\n\n \u2026 open source <\/strong>information and standards to enable to repair and foster innovation, which is:<\/p>\n\n So, Is this slow circular economy already happening??<\/strong> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n Yes! Some concrete steps that are already changing the landscape of the economy and our cultural attitudes are tax incentives for repair<\/a>, setting limits on advertising<\/a>, mandatory take-back schemes or Extended Producer Responsibility regulations<\/a>. Eliminating the use of hazardous chemicals<\/a>, reducing resource use, such as energy, water and raw materials, as well as carrying out better working practices (wages, standards, health, working hours etc.) for manufacturers and in farming and mining. To improve production, people are slowing it down and making it more resilient. New, alternative business models (eg. sharing, renting, cooperative, non-hierarchical, slower fashion cycles) are also a common feature of businesses and organisations and facilitate a slow circular economy <\/p>\n\n A truly slow circular economy will require all the above as well as strong transparency, accountability, collaboration and localisation across value chains, industries and movements. Eventually, all the above will lead to an economy that is built on a foundation of shared ownership designed to generate value for those that create it while delivering fair and just outcomes which preserves resources and ecosystems while benefiting the many rather than the few. <\/p>\n\n Moreover, a truly slow circular economy would mean that the circular culture is also reflected in our social systems, including our financial services, our business structures, and the political frameworks and cultural norms. This is a way to fund circular economies in their truest sense \u2013 not just circling materials that keep us growing and maximising profit, but by also making circular the value flows that could help fund the positive social and environmental change we need to make, creating a circular economy of wealth in service of the common good.<\/p>\n\n
Nope, unfortunately, the circular economy alone<\/em> is not going to save us all.<\/p>\n\n
Basically, corporations are putting all the responsibility on us. If the planet is getting dirtier, it\u2019s not their fault, it\u2019s ours. Because we\u2019re all not recycling enough. They are also betting against the odds that a technological fix will bail us out of the perpetually polluting and deadly path we\u2019re now on. They deliberately forget the other part of the equation: slowing the consumption and production of materials, resources and energy all together <\/strong>and implementing long-term waste prevention solutions which would design out the waste altogether. <\/p>\n\n
Well, yes, but the circular economy can backfire<\/strong><\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2020\/07\/1aa84a91-gp0fkm_medium_res-1024x676.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2020\/07\/9f1c3e4a-seven_rs_v5.jpg\")
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-international-stateless\/2020\/07\/625f80db-gp04nl8_medium_res-1024x768.jpg\")